Nikon 1 J1 has a
10.0MP 1-inch (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Sony RX100 has a
20.0MP 1-inch (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .
Sony RX100's sensor provides 10MP more than Nikon 1 J1's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely.
On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.
Below you can see the 1 J1 and RX100 sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon 1 J1 and Sony RX100 Cameras
Nikon 1 J1 and Sony RX100 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Nikon 1 J1 has 98% larger pixel area compared to Sony RX100, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.
DxOMark Sensor Scores
DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Nikon 1 J1 and Sony RX100 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that RX100 has a better overall score of 66, 10 points higher compared to 1 J1's score of 56.
Model
Overall
Color Depth
Dynamic Range
Low-light ISO
Nikon 1 J1
56
21.5 bits
11.0 Evs
372 ISO
Sony RX100
66
22.6 bits
12.4 Evs
390 ISO
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Nikon 1 J1
or the
Sony RX100 ,
including hyperfocal distance.
